SEPTEMBER GOOD STUFF

20 GOOD THINGS IN SEPTEMBER

 

 

New discoveries, gigs, songs / albums on heavy rotation and general rock n roll influenced greatness.
 

1.       Dog Party – Lost Control.  Great new discovery.

2.       New Model Army – Between Dog and Wolf.  A brilliant new album.

3.       Louise Distras – Dreams From The Factory Floor.  Long awaited debut album finally released.

4.       Brum Punx Picnic 2013 – Sunday 1^st September.  10 Bands for £5.  Brilliant DIY day out.

5.       John Cooper Clarke / Mike Garry / Luke Wright – 17^th September live at Artrix, Bromsgrove. A classic night of poetry and humour. 

6.       The Hold Steady – We Can Get Together (from Heaven Is Whenever album).  Song has been stuck in my head for weeks. 

7.       Punk Rock Chaos 2 - Wagon & Horses 28th September with Rotunda / Angry Itch / Complete Dysfunction / Mangled / The Knobbers / Waste Of Organs 

8.       Sam’s 18^th birthday & epic tattoo!

9.       GTA V – Some great radio stations featuring, Off!, Circle Jerks, Adolescents, Black Flag, Lee Scratch Perry and others.  Oh and the games not bad.

10.   Get Dead - Bad News.  Another great new discovery.

11.   Beastie Boys – Ill Communication.  Dusted down and given a few spins thanks to Gregg’s top ten.

12.   The Fall – Rowche Rumble.  Man, everyone should love this song!

13.   Angry Itch – Scratch It Till it Bleeds.  Storming debut e.p.

14.   Marc Riley – 6 Music.  Well worth a listen

15.   The Clash – Sound System.  Not sure if it’s entirely a good thing but gives an opportunity for another listen.

16. Pixies - E.P.1

17. Joanna Gruesome - Weird Sister

18. Bad Sports - Bras

19. Chixdiggit - Double Diggits

20. XTC - Complicated Game

NEW MODEL ARMY - MARCH INTO SEPTEMBER

 

New Model Army - March Into September

 

New Model Army have a new album this month, Between Dog and Wolf and this great track is taken from it.  Brilliant video too.

 

REBELLION 2013 THURSDAY

Thought I’d share some thoughts on Rebellion Festival 2013

 

Being veterans of six or seven Rebellions (or Wasted) we kind of knew what to expect.  It’s a coming together of the weird and wonderful in a four day punk and alternative festival but is actually far more diverse that the title suggests
 

We managed to check in a bit early at the travel lodge, quick beer in the room while Sam spiked the Mohican, steady stroll to the Winter Gardens, wrist banded up and another beer and it was first band time: 
 

The Dipsomaniacs from Sunderland in the Arena.  Massive surprise that Dickie Hammond wasn’t on stage with them although he was down the front watching and got a couple of song dedications from Steve Smith.  Sound was a bit iffy for the first couple of songs but then it all clicked into place and they sounded great with their catchy but edgy punk rock tunes.  Should be on everyone’s to see list. And California on the front Line is a veritable punk rock classic.

 

Then it was a quick sprint to the new band stage at the Pavilion to catch the end of the Maid Of Ace set. They had drawn a large crowd and with good reason, the singer has got a voice bigger than Blackpool Tower with a powerhouse of a band and they did a cracking version of We’ve Got A Fuzzbox’s ‘ Rules & Regulations’. 
 

We hung around in the Pavilions to catch another new band, The Minx from Manchester.  Decked out in Dr Martens and Fred Perry's (except for the keyboard player sporting a PIL t-shirt) they sounded a bit post punk, a bit indie with a healthy shot of Buzzcocks thrown in and they sounded every bit as good as that combination suggests. 

 

We decided to decamp to the acoustic stage where Max Splodge was just starting a short set accompanied by a man with a kazoo, musically perhaps a bit lacking but hell this is a punk festival and in pure entertainment value more than made up for any technical shortcomings. 

 

Popped out for a quick Harry Ramsden then back in time for The Talks from Hull in the Empress Ballroom.  A crowd pleasing Ska tinged set that left everyone in a good mood and set up the rest of the night  nicely. 

 

We caught the Cundeez and The Surgeons in the Pavilion who were both good then it was back to the acoustic stage to see Vic Ruggiero from the Slackers performing a solo slot.  He had literally just arrived before going on stage but that didn’t stop him delivering a blistering set of solo stuff, Slackers tunes and some great covers including Rudie Can’t Fail and Beat on The Brat.  Despite having to rush back to catch the last train he hung around for a chat and was definitely an early highlight of the weekend and is coming back to the UK later in the year with a full Slackers tour. 











 

 

Next up for us was the self- proclaimed original rude-boy Neville Staple.  No longer part of the Specials he still plunders their back catalogue for his own take on their tunes as well throwing in plenty of ska classics.  Always a crowd pleaser. 

 

Managed to catch part of the Ramonas set, an all girl Ramones covers band, you get the idea.  By this time of night the drinks had been flowing, everyone was in high spirits and this was just perfect.  And it just re-iterated what great tunes the Ramones  had. 

 

Headlining in the Empress were New Model Army.  I’ve not seen them for around 20 years and until fairly recently had only picked up the occasional album by them.  Now expanded to a five piece they opened with a couple of new numbers from their forthcoming album, a brave move but one they easily pulled off.  They have never been a band to rest on their laurels and rely on greatest hits oldies set, so we got a great selection of tunes covering their 30 plus years back catalogue.  The band have an amazing fan base who were very much in evidence and it was great to see people standing on shoulders of friends during some of the slower songs, a real hairs sticking up on my arms taking me back to the old days moment.  Was a great performance, will try to catch them again on their tour later in the year and cannot wait to get a copy of the new album. A great first day.

NEW MODEL ARMY - 225

New Model Army - 225

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPKPHFUSfXM

She stares at the screen, at the little words of green
Tries to do remember what to do next
There's a trace of frustration that crosses her face
Searching for the key she should press
And I would help her if I only know how
But these things are a mystery to me too
And it seems that the Corporate eyes they are watching
She fears for her job and the moments are passing
I stare at her nametag and I think to myself
Both you and I, we never asked for any of this

So let's take a walk up past the chemical works
Where the sky turns green at night
And we'll talk about getting away from here
Some different kind of life
But even in the freshest mountain air
The jet fighters practise overhead
And they're drilling these hills for uranium deposits
And they'll bury the waste for our children to inherit
And though this is all done for our own benefit,
I swear we never asked for any of this

This golden age of communication
Means everyone talks at the same time
And liberty just means the freedom to exploit
Any weakness that you can find
Turn off the TV just for a while
Let us whisper to each other instead
And we'll hope that the Corporate ears do not listen
Lest we find ourselves committing some kind of treason
And filed in the tapes without rhyme, without reason
While they tell us that it's all for our own protection,
I swear we never asked for any of this